Happy Holidays everyone! Thank you all for helping me reach over 200 reviews which is just so awesome! Reviews make me so happy! Haha anyway, I wanted to get this chapter out before Christmas day here in Ireland and before it gets crazy for the next few days! Hope you like what you read :)
Alas, I do not own OUAT.
The flames were closing in on either side of her.
There was no escape.
But she had to do something.
The smoke was becoming too much to bear and the limited oxygen supply she was privy to would dissipate in a matter of moments. The sea of orange was ripping through the apartment at warped speed, engulfing everything in its path, and the deafening crackling sound of the ember rang in Emma's brain so loud that she fell to her knees, her hands pressing against her ears, praying for it to stop.
She just wanted it all to go away. She had to get out; the flames had begun licking her bare skin, leaving nothing but searing pain in its wake. Soon they would surround her, leaving no out.
The route to the door was blocked; the stairs, too. The only other option was the window in Mary Margaret's room. It was that or…
Sucking in the last remnants of clean air from the ground, Emma sprung to her feet in desperation and made a break for the window that showed nothing but the serenity and relief of the outdoors. Coughing and spluttering, she managed to avoid any serious contact with the fire as she made it to the window. With every muscle in her body, she yanked and pulled at the frame, begging for it to obey orders. Every second was vital to her survival, underscored firmly as the intensification of the heat reached a whole new level that Emma was sure she wouldn't be able to withstand for much longer. She yelled and cursed and kicked and still the window refused to move. The only thing left to do was break the glass.
Without even looking, Emma jerked her mother's bedside table from its spot, sending all of the objects flying across the room into the mouth of her impending doom, and she struggled to raise the piece of furniture over her head.
Her throat was raw with the smoke and it screamed for pure air and water. Her body was weaker than it had ever been before and Emma knew that she only had one chance to smash through the window, or else that was it for her.
Her teeth gritted, her jaw stoic as stone, she shrieked as she put everything she had left into flinging the table. The sound of the glass shattering sent chills down her spine and the influx of the damp air was the sweetest reprieve. She didn't care how much the fall was going to hurt – nothing could be worse than what she was facing in that moment. Placing one foot on the window pane, she used a hand to gain leverage.
But a cry from behind her stopped her dead in her tracks and turned her blood to ice. "Mom!" the voice yelped.
Henry.
He was still in the apartment. What? How?
"Henry?" she roared over the calamity, fear enveloping her in an all-consuming stranglehold. Without a second thought, she catapulted herself from her only exit into the blaze in search of her son. "Henry! Where are you?"
"I'm over here! I'm over here?"
Where was 'over here'? "Just hang on, kid!" she coughed incessantly, her lungs on the verge of collapse. "Where are Mary Margaret and David?!" Now she was burning; the agony far too real to be imagining.
"Right here." In amongst the black smoke, Emma could vaguely make out two figures in front of her, surrounded by fire.
"Wha-what?! We have to get out of here! Get to the window! The window!" Her desperation was escalating out of her control, and her vision was fading fast. The ability to remain upright had vanished and soon she was lying on the ground, her parents towering over her. "Get Henry!" she cried weakly, hoping that the last thing she ever did on this earth was help her son survive even when she couldn't. He had to have the best chance in life; be it with or without her. "Jump out the window!" But no matter what she screamed, they didn't move an inch.
"No, Emma," Mary Margaret said quietly.
"It's too late," David added just as calmly.
"No! Go!"
"We can't. This is all your fault." Henry's frame swam into her dull view. "You did this to us."
"What? No! I-"
"You've hurt everyone you love, Emma. You vowed never to let that happen; you broke your promise and now we have to pay for it." Her mother's tone was icy and detached. Like it was another person entirely.
"But what did I do? Tell me what I did!"
"Magic of course." Suddenly Regina appeared mere millimetres from her face, somehow commanding the flames to ensnare Emma into a fiery pit. "You let your emotions control you, Miss Swan; and now you have to suffer the consequences." Her grin was as wide as the Chesire Cat's; her cackle wicked and ominous. She abruptly raised her hands into the air, forcing the inferno higher.
This was it. She couldn't breathe; she couldn't feel anything but her skin blister and burn. Her heart was broken. She had destroyed everything she had ever cared about.
"You promised, Emma! You promised!" a distant Henry proclaimed.
Emma jolted into a seating position on the couch, sweat dripping from her brow and running into her eyes, mixing with her tears. She frantically reached all around her, feeling everything in attempt to obtain a grasp on reality. The fluffy cushions, the warm baby blanket she held so dear, the rough texture of the couch; the apartment wasn't on fire. She wasn't being burnt alive. Her family was still safe. It was just a dream. Just a dream.
She opened her eyes fully and gazed around the room. It was night-time; near dawn, maybe. Her heart was throbbing against her ribs like it was beating against the use of nature. Her hands pounding around her chest hoping to shift it back into place, she heard movement come from her mother and father's bedroom. Throwing off her blanket, she jumped to her feet and began pacing back and forth as quickly as she could, trying to settle her nerves.
She had never been so afraid before; not when she slayed the dragon, or when she fell through the portal to a strange land, or even when she duelled Cora. Nothing compared to the vividness and surrealism of that dream.
"Emma? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret whispered, appearing from behind the curtain that separated their room with David in tow. "We heard a…gasp? And then a whole lot of shuffling…?" The source of the brunette's bewilderment stemmed from sleep deprivation but it was crystal clear to Emma that she was deeply concerned about her. Unconsciously, David draped an arm around his wife's waist and held onto her tightly. To Emma it looked like he was trying to keep the woman in place since he knew that the very first thing she would do would be to enfold the blonde into the securest embrace she could muster. Maybe Emma looked worse than she feared. She figured the tears streaming down her face weren't exactly doing wonders for her appearance.
"I just…I just…" What had happened? She had a dream; that was it. "Nightmare," she explained hazily, lifting a shoulder in acknowledgement trying to play it cool.
"That bad, huh?" David asked, eyeing her warily like she was a porcelain doll that would break at the slightest of touches. "Like the red room?"
"Worse." Though Emma hadn't visited the 'red room' and experienced that brand of terror first-hand, she was certain that it had nothing on her imagination. And her parents assumed the same as they simply nodded at her reply.
The blonde could tell that Mary Margaret was itching to console her in any way she could, and it was then that Emma realised that that was what she wanted – and needed. She stopped pacing and headed straight for her parents, tossing an arm around each one and pulling them to her, noting their eagerness to do the same to her. Their warmth and affection was evident in their manners and gestures. They didn't care what ungodly time of the night it was; Emma was what was mattered most to them, and it was obvious that they'd do anything for her.
"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, do you think it would help? Or if you don't, we could just sit here and watch T.V. or whatever you want…?" Though Mary Margaret appeared to be seamlessly assimilating into the role of mother-slash-best friend, there was still the occasional time when she became flustered at trying to be the perfect maternal figure. This was one of those moments. And it being around 5:00 a.m. probably only added to her woes.
"What your mother is so eloquently trying to say is that we're here for you, if you need us to be."
What did Emma need? Sleep was the first thing that popped into her mind, but it was quickly usurped by another thought. "One second," she said and she began pattering up the stairs as quietly as the old, creaky floorboards would allow. Holding her breath, she shakily opened the door to her bedroom and curled her head around the door to catch a glimpse of Henry sleeping in her bed. At that knowledge, she rubbed her heart and exhaled, thoroughly relieved that everything her dreamland had conjured up was entirely fake. Once her son and her parents were safe she knew she'd be okay.
That still didn't mean that she wasn't completely petrified to her core.
She descended the stairs step by step, suddenly feeling very cold. It was as if a chill had entered the room and clung to her skin, shivering each pore. To her surprise and secret delight, both Mary Margaret and David had stationed themselves at the counter in the kitchen waiting for her return. Both looked absolutely exhausted and in dire need of rest yet there they were, sitting and stocking up on enough caffeine to keep them awake for three days.
"He's sound asleep," she remarked as she dropped onto an empty stool facing them. "You think you got enough coffee there?"
"I don't think it'll ever be enough," David chuckled huskily, slugging down a large gulp and wiping his mouth afterward with the back of his hand. "Snow hasn't slept in days so our caffeine levels are dangerously low at this point, which means that her poor sleep deprived husband must struggle on in his slumber stupor." If he wasn't flashing Mary Margaret a loving grin Emma would have believed his resentment.
"You guys should go back to bed; there's no emergency and I'm okay. There's no need for you to be up just because I had a bad dream and I overreacted."
"No, Emma," her mother protested, reaching out for her hand, "we want to be up. We want to help in any way that we can. We weren't able to do it for your childhood but you can guarantee that we'll be there for the rest of your adult life. You're not getting rid of us that easily."
"Yeah, besides we've fought in more battles with strange beings than I can count and endured many hardships both as individuals and as a couple so a few restless nights are a piece of cake." David took another swig from his mug, the caffeine beginning to kick in; he looked ready to do just about anything.
"A walk in the park," the brunette interjected happily.
"Are you ready to talk about it? You don't have to give specifics we just want to know what it was that frightened you so much so we can uncover a solution and fix it together."
"This isn't an interrogation, we just…it hurts to see you suffer, that's all."
"Wow, you guys are pretty good at this…even before the sun rises," Emma commented with a shy giggle. She slouched a little on the stool under their watchful gaze. It was like she was a child again ready to spill on some bad deed she had done earlier.
"We do try," Mary Margaret smiled. "David even bought 'Parenting for Dummies'," she added with a titter.
"I did not," the man defended sheepishly. "I was just checking it out in the store; I wasn't going to buy it," he directed at Emma.
"Oh, yeah? Then what's that book you've been keeping in your bedside locker?"
David's eyes were as wide as saucers. "I can't believe you snooped!"
"I didn't; I was looking for cookbook and happened to come across it." She was trying to hold in the laughter now but David wasn't so amused. He was so red the blonde was sure his face would never return to its natural complexion. "But I think it's very sweet. It just shows how caring you are."
David looked at his daughter from beneath his eyelashes, clearly ashamed that he had been caught out. Emma didn't want to make him feel bad – not when he was evidently trying really hard to be prepared. "Don't worry about David," she started, clearing her throat and refusing to make eye-contact with anyone, "I…eh, I almost bought it, too," she admitted as her voice steadily decreased in volume.
"What?" her mother questioned lightly and David acknowledged with a proud smirk.
"You know, for Henry and stuff. But I'm pretty sure there's no chapter on 'How to parent the daughter who is the same age as you and has magic'. I guess they forgot to add that one in."
"You'd think they'd cater for all types of situations."
"Yeah. Or at least write an 'Unforeseen Circumstances' chapter." The seriousness with which they had this conversation finally descended upon the family. Each of them smiled widely, neither of them wanting to be the first to laugh but it was Mary Margaret who caved first, her laughter abrupt and unrelenting. David and Emma joined in; the laughter contagious.
Laughing felt good. It numbed the pain in her chest and allowed her forget – even if it was only briefly – why she was so upset in the first place. It was so easy to get lost in the conversation and calming affect her family could have on her; there was no trying too-hard or extra effort made. It was just so easy.
"So now that we have that out of our systems and our delirium has waned slightly, what happened in your dream?" Wow, Mary Margaret really didn't like to leave things hanging, did she?
Emma took a deep breath. "Oh nothing special, really. The apartment was on fire, I was trying to get out, Henry was there and so were you guys and you were blaming me for it all. I used magic and it ended up hurting the people that I lov- care about. Oh, and Regina made a cameo appearance."
"Oh, Emma," the brunette breathed, "it was just a dream. Just a scary, projection of your fears. That's it. Just because magic is a part of you doesn't mean that it will control you or that you'll wind up hurting us. I know you'll never let that happen. And you should believe that, too." She squeezed her hand in comfort. "And as for Regina, sure she's been popping up in my nightmares for years," she waved off.
"Your mother's right. You can't let a dream or a nightmare skew your reality until all you can see is the bad side. Magic can be both a blessing and a curse and I'm sure that every time you wield it, it'll be a blessing not only to you but for others as well. You can't focus on the negatives and the what-ifs. Doing that only shadows the integrity of what you possess."
"Looks like you didn't need that book after all," Mary Margaret observed, cupping the side of his face with her free hand. The sandy-haired man didn't hesitate to cover her hand with his.
"Yeah that was pretty good," the blonde agreed.
"So don't dwell and don't let it get to you. Tomorrow's Christmas; a time for celebration and joy and being with the people that mean the most to you," David finished, happy with his closing statement.
"Okay. I'll try."
"Good. I think sleep is in order."
"Definitely."
"Do you think we should have told her?" David whispered as he got under the covers.
"What, about…?" Snow didn't want to say it aloud.
"Yeah, that. She's not going to be too happy when she finds out."
Snow paused for a few minutes, basking in the silence. "I know," she uttered a few minutes later.
David didn't reply.
Christmas morning was more than what Emma had expected. Henry was up at the crack of dawn – which meant the rest of them got little to no sleep – and more than eager to begin ripping the gift wrap off his presents. Since Emma had been slightly held-up being in Fairytale Land and preoccupied with being incessantly fatigued since returning home, she didn't have much time to shop and buy Henry a great Christmas present. Which was just perfect – it was her first holiday with her son and she couldn't even spoil him. She reminded herself to add that to her list of Cora hate later. Nevertheless, the kid was so excited and thrilled with everything he got: a new scarf, hat and gloves set from Mary Margaret, a new art kit from David along with a new wooden sword designed exactly the same way David's first one was (apparently), some sweets From Ruby and Archie, and finally, that toy dragon he had been eyeing for months from Emma. That he was especially happy with.
The only presents remaining were from Regina but Emma wasn't going to let the thought of her ruin was what turning out to be a pretty perfect day. Dinner was exquisite – who knew Mary Margaret and David made such a good team in the kitchen? – and Emma truly took it all in. Sitting at the table as her son made conversation with her mother while her father stuffed his face, she marvelled at what her life was like now. Christmas the previous year was non-existent; it was amazing what could happen in a year. And to top it all off, she even got presents – nothing big but they were enough to bring tears to her eyes. She felt silly crying over receiving gifts but understanding the thought and love behind each one was almost too incredible for her to describe.
She collapsed onto the couch after dinner, her stomach thoroughly stuffed. "I've think I've eaten enough for the next three years," she said, holding her tummy.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," David said, cleaning up the last of the dishes.
Mary Margaret joined the blonde on the couch looking a little edgier than she did a few moments beforehand. "Emma," she began, turning her body to face her, her fingers interlocking and breaking over and over again. "I have something to tell you."
That got Emma's attention. She sat straighter. "What's up?"
"I know we should have told you earlier but it was just never the right time."
"Mare, it's okay; just tell me." She smiled, hoping it would relax the brunette. It didn't.
"Emma, we-"
A knock on the door stopped the woman and Emma saw her shoulders tense.
"Who's that?"
Henry came trampling down the stairs and headed for the door. He pulled the door open with a big smile on his face. "Hey, Mom."
Mom. A chill ran down Emma's spine that only signalled one thing: Regina had arrived.
So what did you all think? Especially about the beginning because I really wanted it to read well! Anywho, I really hoped you all liked it and thank you all so much again! Please review and tell what you thought :)
Hope you all have a great time this holiday season!